Electrical connecter



Sept. 28, 1937.. E. c.w1NsLow, JR., 4la-r AL 2,094,392'

- ELECTRICAL CONNECTER iled oct; 13, 1954 j/ a la? f ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,094,392 ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Edwin C. Winslow,

Wilder, South Dartmouth,

Jr., Mattapoisett, Robert F.

and Charles W.

Smith, New Bedford, Mass. Application October 13, 1934, Serial No. 748,158

5 Claims.

This inventionv relates-to electrical connecters and has for its principal object to provide a new and improved structure for a connecter of the type particularly adapted for use for making connections to electric Wires or cables carrying high voltages and where it is desired to make a connection to the line in a safe and elcient manner while the current is owing through such line.`

Although we are aware that it is not broadly new to employ two part insulated connecters, such devices as heretofore constructed have .been of relatively complicated construction and therefore expensive to manufacture and have generally been of the type limited in their application to themaking of a connection between the ends of a pair of wires. lPrior devices wherein joints were made between the ends o'f the wires to be connected are difficult to assemble and their use is attendant with considerable hazard particularly for high voltage lines, due to the fact that they are not sui'liciently insulated and that there is always the danger of a linemans hands or body coming into contact with an exposed conductor. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a construction in which these objectionable features are obviated.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved connecter which can be employed with equal facility for tapping a line without severing the wire or cable or joining the broken ends of a severed line.

A Afurther object ot' the present invention is to provide a new and improved construction of an electrical connecter in which all of the metallic conductor parts are fully and completely sheathed by highly ecient insulated covers which are so associated with the metallic elements as tovbe readily detachable therefrom to enable the latter to be secured in electrical conducting relationship with the wires or cables to be united.

The above and other objects of the present in- 'r vention will appear more fully from the following more detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through an electric connecter constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a smaller scale illustrating the method of assembling the vconscrewed into the hole Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the metallic conductor parts of the connecter; and

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section through the insulating sheath of the connecter part shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in the drawing, the main conducting element. of the connecter consists of a body part I constructed of copper, brass or other material having high electrical conductivity. The body I, while shown in the drawing as being approximately cylindrical in shape, may be of any desirable or suitable conguration to provide a suiiicient mass of material which can be cut away to form a hook-shaped slot- Il in the body IU of sufcient size to permit the engagement of such slot over a wire or cable 25 of the largest size for which the particular connecter is intended for use. One end of the slot I I, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 of the drawing, is open on one side of the body I0 at a point between ends of said body, as indicated by the reference character Il, and the other end of the slot terminates in a wedge-shaped pocket IIh located -approximately midway between the 'ends of the body II] and which extends transversely or diametrically across said body with the smaller end or point of the wedge-shaped pocket crossing the central axial line of the body I0. As will be clearly seen from Fig. 2 of the drawing, the arrangement of the slot II is such that the body member I0 of theconnecter may be slipped over a cable 25 at any point along such cable Vwithoutv necessitating any cutting of the'- cable and so that after the open side of the pocket is placed overl the cable, the body Ill of the connecter may be moved so as to cause the cable to be seated within the wedge-shaped pocket Il".`

That end of the body I0 next to th'e slot II is provided with a screw threaded' hole I2 adapted to receive a clamping bolt or screw I3 which is provided with a non-circular bolt head Il held fast Within a cooperating non-circular recess formed in the main body portion of an insulating shell I which is preferably-constructed of soft rubber, the shell I5 preferably being'associated with the bolt I3 by casting or molding the shell I5 on the bolt. As clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the shell member I5 is provided with a which, when the bolt I3 is I2 and with theend of the bolt I3 in clamped engagement with the cable 25, vziil completely cover the open end II'L of the slot I.

ilange portion |52 The end of the body I farthest from the slot II is provided with a hole or bore I6 to receive the end of a wire or cable, which wire or cable may be tightly 'secured in said hole I6 either by soldering, or one or more holes I1, I1' may be drilled and tapped into the body I0 at right angles to the hole I6 for the reception of set screws I8, I 8 by means of which the end of the wire inserted into such hole may be clamped securely in position/and in conducting relationship with the body I0.

The'body I0 is completely enclosed and insulated'by a sheath I9 of insulated material which preferably is constructed of soft rubber having a relatively solid end of portion I9 formed with a hole 2| in axial alignment with the hole or bore yI6 of the body I0 through which hole 2| alcable,

such as indicated by` the reference character 22, can be inserted into the bore I6.

Due to the fact that the connecter parts consisting of two assembly units, onecomprising the bolt I3 and shell I5 and the other the body I0, and sheath I9, are assembled together to form a connection by relatively rotating the two parts to engage the bolt I3 in clamped relationship with the cable 25, means .are prefer-ably provided for holding the sheath I9 against rotation relatively to the body I0 and such means may comprise a attened or non-circular portion 23 formed on the end of the body I0, which is adapted to be received within a similarly fashioned recess 238L formed in the sheath I9 adjacent the thickened end I9a thereof.

For the purpose of insuring a more secure engagement of the rubber sheath I9 with the body, also for providing a safer and more eifective insulation, that portion of the sheath I9 which is cut away to form a slot of similar configuration to the slot is provided with an inwardly extending ange I9b shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing, which is adapted to be received within a recess 20 formed in the body I0; it being understood that the recess 20 extends continuously about the side edges of the slot I I as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing andy that the flange I9b is continuous and extends about the similarly shaped slot i'n the rubber sheath I9. That end of the body III which is ,Screw threaded for the reeeptionof the bolt I3 is also cut away to provide an annular recess 26 with which is adapted to engage an annular ange 21 lthat projects inwardly from the end of the sheath I9, the engagement of the flange 21 with the recess 26 being similar to ,the engagement of the flange I9b with the recess 20. As the result of the provision 0f the flanges I 9b and 21 upon the sheath I9 and the engagement of these flanges with their cooperating recessed portions of th'e body I0, the sheath -I9 is associated in interlocked relationship with the body, the flanges not only serving to assist the parts 23, 23 in preventing relative rotation between the insulating sheath and conductor body l open edge of the slot II as well as the end of the body lllwith which the bolt I3 is` engaged.

'Ihe manner'in which lthe' device isemployed is I as follows:

` cable without cutting or severing said cable, the

of the flange I9b can then be turned back outl of engagement and thejconductor I0 pulled axially from the sheath. A cable, such as cable 22 which itis desired to connect to the cable 25, after having its insulation removed is then inserted into the bore I6 of the conductor body, the rubber sheath I9 first h-aving been slipped over the cable 22. The exposed end of the cable 22 can then be soldered tightly in the hole I6 and the set screws I8, I8 screwed into clamped engagement with the end of the cable 22. The conductor body I0 is 'then reinserted into the' sheath I9 with the vflattened ends 23 of the conductor body in engagement with the cooperating recess 23a of the Y sheath. The end 24 of the sheath is then pulled the wedge-shaped pocket I Ib. The threaded end of bolt I3 carried by the rubber shell I5 is then threaded into the hole I2 in the end of the body I0 and the bolt is screwed home into clamping engagement with the cable 25, the flange In of the shell I5 telescoping over the rubber sheath I9 andcovering the open side ||a of the slot II.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the complete insulation, both of the bolt I3 and the conductor body Il by the insulating members I5 and I9, enablesv the connection to be made in the manner just described without the lineman being required to bring any part of his hands or body in contact with any exposed' conductors, the sheath I9 being grasped in one hand at its thicker end and at a point quite some distance removed from the slot I I and the shell I5 being grasped at its lower end where a solid mass of rubber is interposed between the hand of the workman and the bolt I3.

It will, of course, be understood that while the device may be readily used. to make a connection to a continuous or unsevered cable, it can just as readily be used for connecting the two be constructed as a casting which will require but very little or no machining to place it in nished condition.

The device has proven highly successful in practice for tapping high voltage lines, a connection being made very quickly as the complete insulation ofthe connecter enables a lineman to Work with much greater speed than would otherwise be possible, especially on high voltage lines,

Y without endangering himself to severe shocks.

The device has been found highly satisfactory for jumpingl faulty cutouts; temporarily connecting secondaries; jumping out street light xtures which are giving trouble; temporarily repairing broken taps or junction poles on either primary or secondary or street lights; transferring construction from old poles to new especially where the heights of the poles are to be changed or on dead end construction. The connecter may also be employed in sub-station work for short circuiting current transformers, making temporary connections, etc., and in power stations for meter testing; has proven satisfactory in use for clearing troubles in street light lines, cutting overi junction poles and changing dead ends which have always been extremely hazardous jobs with the type of connecters heretofore employed.

- While we have described and illustrated a satisfactory installation that has proven highly successful in practical operation, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to'specifc. constructional details shown and described, b ut that many changes, variations and modications may be resorted to 'without departing from the principles ofthe invention.

We claim:

1. An electrical connecter comprising a conductor body formed of material having high electrical conductivity and having formed therein a pocket extending transversely across said body for the reception of an electrical conducting line, said pocket terminating at one end in a wedge shaped seat and at its other end in an open ended slot, said body having at one end thereof a screw threaded opening adjacent and extending laterally to said pocket, ac'lamping element for engagement with said screw threaded opening adapted to project into said pocket to engage said conducting line and clamp it securely against said wedge shaped seat and the other end of said conductor body being provided with means for receiving and clamping a second conducting line in electrical contacting engagement with said body, an insulating sheath encasing said conductor body, said sheath having a cylindrical outer periphery and having formed therein an opening of similar configuration to the pocket formed in said`conductor body and a second opening through which said second conducting line extends and an insulating shell having an annular portion in which said clamping element is nonrotatably secured having a projecting skirt portion which surrounds said clamping element and covers said slot when said shell is' assembled with said body.

2. An electrical connecter comprising a conductor body formed of material having high electrical conductivity and having formed therein a pocket extending transversely across said body for the reception of an electrical conducting line, said pocket terminating at one end in a wedge shaped seat and at its other end in an open ended slot, said body having at one end thereof a screw threaded opening adjacentl and extending laterally to said pocket, a clamping element for engagement with said screw threaded opening adapted to project into said pocket to engage said conducting line and clamp it securely against said wedge shaped seat and theother end of said conductor body being` provided with means for receiving and clamping a second conducting line in electrical contacting engagement with said body, an insulating sheath encasing said conductor body, said sheath having formed therein an opening of similar configuration to the pocket formed in said conductor body and a second opening through which said second conducting line extends and an insulating shell in which said clamping element is non-rotatably secured, and said shell having an annular ange in spaced concentric relationship with and projecting beyond said clamping element adapted to telescopically en-gage over said insulating sheath and to completely close said open--ended slot 4when said clamping element is clamped against said conducting 1ine.

3. An electrical connecter comprising a conductor body formed of material having high -electrical conductivity and having formed therein al.

pocket extending transversely across said body for the reception of an electrical conducting line, said pocket terminating at one end in a wedge shaped seat and at its other end in an open ended slot, said body having a screw threaded opening extending laterally to said pocket, a clamping element for engagement with said screw threaded opening adapted to engage said conducting line and clamp it securely against'said wedge shaped seat, a flexible insulating sheath detachably mounted upon and encasing said conductor body, said sheathhaving formed thereinA an opening of similar configuration to the pocket formed in said conductor body, said body having an inwardly extending recess in its periphery extend- -ing inwardly from and about the entire bounding edge of said slot and said sheath having an vinwardly Vprojecting flange seated within said wedge shaped seat, a flexible insulating sheath fordetachably encasing said conductor body, said sheath having formed therein an opening of simi, lar configuration to the pocket formed in said conductor body, said lbody having an inwardly extending recess bounding the entire outline of vsaid pocket and slot and said'sheath having a projecting rib seating within said recess, an insulating member non-rotatably mounted on said clamping element having an annular sleevelike portion surrounding said element in spaced concentric relationship with and projecting beyond said element and adapted to telescopically engage over said insulating sheath and to completely close said open ended slot when said clamping element,r is clamped against said oonducting line and said sheath being provided at one end with cooperating non-circular parts to prevent relative rotation between said body and sheath, l

5. An electrical connecter comprising a conductor body formed of material having high electrical conductivity 'and having formed therein a pocket extending partly transversely across said body for the reception of an electrical conducting line, said pocket terminating `atone end in a wedge shaped seat and at its other end in an open ended slot, an inwardly recessed vportion extending around the entire bounding edge of said' pocket and slot and a screw threaded opening extending laterally to said pocket, a clamping element for engagement with said screw threaded opening adapted to engage said conducting line and clamp it securely against said wedge shaped seat, a flexible cylindrical insulating sheath detachably mounted upon and encasing said conductor body, said sheath having formed therein an opening of similar conguration to the pocket 5 means for securing the latter to said body, said body and sheath being provided with inter-en-r gaging non-circular means to prevent relative 'rotation therebetween and said clamping element being provided at one end ywith a non-circular 10 enlarged head and an insulating member n which said head is embedded having an annular flange concentrically spacedfrom and projecting beyond the other end of said clamping element, said ange pletely closing said open ended slot'v when said 4element is in clamped engagement with said body.

EDWIN C. WINSLOW, JR. ROBERT F. WILDER. CHARLES W. Sm'I'H.

rtelescopically engaging over said sheath and com- 

